Paragould's 1892 wooden depot, preserved on paper by Ostrander's Gallery, was replaced by the brick Union Station in 1906.  The  new depot was quickly surrounded by hotels and other business establish-ments catering to travelers.

Like any train station it was the scene of many goodbyes, but none as spectacular as when Paragould answered the call and turned out in force to send "her brave soldier boys" off to fight World War I.  With the decline in train  travel, the depot fell on hard times. Despite efforts to save it by the Paragould-Greene County  Bicentennial  Celebration  Commission  and the Greene County Fine Arts Council, the depot was sold to "be torn down for materials," a Cotton Belt spokesman explained.  "The land is of value; the building is not," he added.  A parking lot is now located at the site, but part of the depot's tile floor remains, a simple reminder that the depot has said its last farewell.